Atari 2600 collection

rhurst · Post by **rhurst** » Wed Aug 03, 2011 7:22 pm

I know my collection of VCS cartridges pale against the hard-core old school gamer, but still wanted to share my enthusiasm to these latest finds: #118 Stargate, #119 Reactor, and #120 Lock n Chase -- still one of my favorites I picked up back in the heydey.

Over the past 4-years picking up carts, it still does not get old. Looking forward to that next rainy day when I can fire these games up and muse at their copyrights, laugh at the graphics, press start with the expectation to just blow through the levels over this 'simple' machine, but get frustrated over and over when I get picked apart by the meanies, with that disgusted glare and mutter, "it was the joystick!"

Post by **Jeff-20** » Wed Aug 03, 2011 8:43 pm

That's a great collection. But those Combat carts are starting to gang up on you!

I've also recently started to inventory my collection. It feels good to be on top of what I own and need. For years, I kept buying the same thing twice, or even worst, passing over something I thought I already owned.

Wilson · Post by **Wilson** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 11:51 pm

Nice collection! The 2600 is hard to beat for quick fun. Just reading those titles is giving me that itch to break out the 2600 myself. Playing with a friend is even better, but it's hard to find someone who wants to play Atari when everyone can fulfill their multiplayer needs through online gaming these days.

English Invader · Post by **English Invader** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 5:26 pm

I like running Stella on my Dreamcast. That way, you get all the creature comforts of playing games in front of the telly as well as all the convenience of emulation. Plus the DC analogue is a lot more comfortable to use than the Atari joystick.

Post by **Jeff-20** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 3:46 pm

I use a Harmony Flash Cart with thousands of roms on an AV modded Atari 7800. I get all the fun of Atari on a CRT TV with real Atari controllers, AND my cart collection stays in great condition without being overly handled.

matsondawson · Post by **matsondawson** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 6:49 pm

Where on earth did that music come from??

rhurst · Post by **rhurst** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:49 am

I do the same thing, Jeff, and for the same reasons. Except my Atari 7800 is not AV modded... it plugs directly into the coax cable input (unused, because we got FiOS using HDMI) and the Sony HDTV allows that port to be preset for standard viewing. Switch the input to CABLE, leave on channel #2, all looks and plays great.

Which music? It's all good.

I could not find ACS in mpeg format "anywhere in the world", only midi or sid formats, so that title was captured output from VICE, and I use ffmpeg to clip the audio for a proper start/end.

A bit OT, has anyone played Crypts of Chaos? Before I invest any time into it, just soliciting here for some peer review.

Post by **Jeff-20** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 9:24 am

rhurst wrote:A bit OT, has anyone played Crypts of Chaos? Before I invest any time into it, just soliciting here for some peer review.

I never understood the game. The control scheme is creative but confused me a little. It's definitely a game you need the manual to play, but that's not a bad thing at all. The online reviews of the game also seem harsh.

rhurst · Post by **rhurst** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 4:22 pm

Crypts of Chaos' title and cover art intrigued me (gee, like that never happened before)... so I decided to give it a go on Harmony, and yeah, disappointing is being kind. Guess I'll skip getting the real deal.

I am not a fan of collecting carts just for collecting them, although I have more than a few in my possession that were just "throw ins" from a lot sale, i.e., I never owned E.T. before, would not want to play it, yet here it is in my personal collection. Nope, I like getting carts I owned before or played with friends back in the day or pined for a title that I just could not afford back then. I miss my Krull and Tunnel Runner and wish now I had kept them, because they both seem to fetch a bit more of premium.

I was lucky to get each of these recently for less than $4 shipped each, which I think is pretty good for singles -- I got the first 100 from only a few lot sales at ~ $1 each:

#121 Frogs and Flies (great game!)
#122 Air Sea Battle (spent too many hours playing a friend)
#123 Dark Cavern
#124 Joust
#125 Enduro (better than Le Mans will ever be)

Post by **Jeff-20** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:51 pm

We have similar tastes! I'm sorry I already traded my extra copy of Tunnel Runner. I would have sent it to you. The 2600 is a really great system for memories. Frogs and Flies and Enduro are together in sequence on my list of favorite Atari 2600 games.

Luzur · Post by **Luzur** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 10:32 am

i got a whole box of old Atari 2600 carts and a console.

the console i got from a friend some 15 years ago and most of the games i rescued from the local dump.

rhurst · Post by **rhurst** » Sat Aug 20, 2011 11:26 am

Happy, happy, joy, joy! I got #126 today -- KRULL
Nothing like the real arcade game, but follows the movie theme nicely.

rhurst · Post by **rhurst** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 6:41 am

I got a few more titles from a "lot" sale, cheap, but that also means a few duplicates got added in my Atari 2600 collection. I think it was better to do that than to try to find these singles and pay more for each plus the additional S&H.

Besides, I mainly use a 7800 to play cartridges, so the extras are stored away in one of those covered storage base with a 2600. But then there's also that shoebox full of Combat, Asteroids, Pac-Man, and Berzerk carts. How many of you do the same?

But namely, I got Dig Dug, Gorf, Laser Blast, and Spider Fighter... all cool classic games. Yeah, also got a title called Sneak 'n Peek, but I doubt that will ever get fired up, heh.

Post by **Jeff-20** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 8:11 pm

I just missed getting Chase the Chuckwagon on eBay. Haven't had internet access at home all week. It went for, like, 50 bucks. I would have paid more.

rhurst · Post by **rhurst** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 7:53 am

Really? A Harmony cart goes for higher than $50, but I understand the appeal of owning each cart, and that each owner has a different slant on the what's and why's for doing it.

For me as a programmer, I feel compelled to purchase the original -- if I intend on playing it now and in the future -- even if I have a ROM dump or cracked disk copy already. I am the same way with movie titles. After all, the creative talents producing it have to eat, too. I understand the concept of "abandonware", but some form of tribute needs to be paid to acknowledge receipt of their work. Even if you simply raise your beverage cup and give the author(s) a hail, eh?

If you would not mind sharing your value-system on that cart, i.e., because of nostalgia, collector rarity, or entertainment?